How can you find elements that have similar chemical properties?

The easiest way to identify elements with similar chemical properties is to look at a periodic table. The periodic table begins by grouping chemicals into the following categories: metals, semimetals, and nonmetals. Most periodic tables will use the same colors to color code the elements into groups with the same chemical properties. You can find the metals in the columns on the left hand side of the table and the gases in the columns on the right hand side of the table. Elements can be further broken down into specific categories of metals (alkali, alkaline earth metals, transition medals, metalloids, other metals) or non-metals (Halogens, noble gases).

Furthermore, the periodic table also breaks elements into periods (numbered rows) with elements that have a similar number of electron shells.